TAKING NOTES WHILE READING

1
TAKING NOTES WHILE READING

• Four-step procedure
• SKIM to get the rough idea of the content (title,
  introductory paragraph, pictures?)
• SCAN to spot the essential underline the main
  points (key words, topic sentences)
• GROUP PARAGRAPHS (how many parts of the text?
  headings, subheadings?)
• READ TO ESTABLISH LOGICAL RELATIONS between parts
  of the text ?
• STRUCTURE!
• (Logical relations are expressed by signalling
  devices)
• Check it out in the Reader, p 65

2

• Once you have previewed, skimmed, scanned, read
  the whole text and looked up the words you do not
  know....
• DEAL WITH EACH PARAGRAPH SEPARATELY
• NUMBER the paragraphs
• SCAN each paragraph and underline the essential,
  key sentence(s), words phrases
• GIVE A HEADING to each paragraph
• (Why is it here? What is unique about it?
• What does it contain that cannot be found in the
  rest of the text?

3
SUMMARIZE THE TEXT IN NOTE FORM

• read paragraph headings again and see how they
  are connected
• establish relationships between headings
  (paragraphs)
• for example
• problem, causes and solution(s)
• claim and illustrations / examples
• proposal, arguments for and against, conclusion
• situation, advantages and disadvantages,
  conclusion
• chronological development and conclusion...
• use a clear visual layout and symbols, bullets,
  abbreviations
• (lists of symbols and abbreviations ? Reader, p
  65 67)

4

• REMEMBER!
• The actual order of paragraphs in the text
  need not necessarily be reflected in the
  structure of a summary!
• For example, ideas and info on...
• PROBLEM - CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM - SOLUTIONS TO
  THE PROBLEM
• may be dispersed throughout the text,
  in different paragraphs!
• It is your job to group the bits of
  informationand ideas to convey the main points!
• You want a good example? Check out the text and
  its summary in Reader, p 66